Madam President, 

I thank Special Representative Carlos Ruiz Massieu for his briefing and welcome Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva of Colombia to today’s meeting. I also listened attentively to the statement by the representative of civil society. 

Thanks to the tireless efforts of the government and people of Colombia, the Final Peace Agreement has been implemented and the vision of total peace has been advanced. China welcomes this. We look forward to the parties in Colombia consolidating the gains made and continuing to move towards the goal of achieving a comprehensive, lasting and sustainable peace.

The full implementation of the peace agreement is at the center of the peace process in Colombia. Colombia’s national development plan was adopted recently. Rural reform, land distribution, cultivation of the substitutes of illicit crops, and the reintegration of former combatants, among other important elements of the Final Peace Agreement, are provided with the policy support and resources. We would like to express our appreciation to it.

Development is the basis for sustainable peace. Effectively addressing the root causes of conflict requires reducing hunger and poverty, narrowing the gap between urban and rural areas, effectively improving people’s livelihoods, and increasing investment in development. We hope that the agencies of the UN system and the international partners will provide active support and assistance to Colombia in its efforts to promote sustainable development, consolidate the gains in the peace process, and achieve lasting peace and security in the country. 

Curbing violence and conflict is crucial to maintaining the population’s confidence in the peace process. China appreciates Colombian Government’s commitment to eliminating violence and conflict through dialogue and negotiation. We welcome the six-month ceasefire agreement reached between the Colombian Government and the ELN during the third round of peace talks, and hope that the agreement will be earnestly respected and fully implemented. We also support the Colombian Government to continue dialogue and negotiations with other armed groups.

Combating illegal armed groups and violent organizations and curbing the expansion of their power and activities are also part of the vision of total peace in Colombia. We support the Government’s efforts to increase the deployment of security forces in formal conflict areas that lack active control and to strengthen security protection for former combatants, women, children and ethnic minorities. 

Madam President, 

China appreciates the important role played by the UN Verification Mission in Colombia in supporting the peace process in Colombia, and supports the Council in earnestly studying and actively considering the expansion of its mandate to participate in the monitoring and verification of the ceasefire. We believe this will help consolidate the positive momentum of the current peace talks. China is ready to work with the international community to continue to support the “Colombian-led, Colombian-owned” peace process and help the Colombian people to achieve greater success on the path to comprehensive peace, stability, and development. 

Thank you, Madam President.